2/24/2005 10:22:00 AM|||Kurt|||Less than two hours until the trade deadline — and the morning after a very good win for the Lakers, getting wins you’re not playing your best is what playoff teams do — and we’ll start with the words of GM Mitch Kupchak from the LA Times this morning.

The two big rumored deals for the Lakers involved some version of a Peja for Odom deal with Sacramento, but that isn’t happening now that Webber’s gone — they need Peja’s scoring. The other was some kind of deal for Baron Davis, but if he is going anywhere it appears to be to Golden State. I wasn’t fond of either of those deals for the Lakers, so I think Mitch’s stance is for the best.
-------------------------------------------
Two thoughts on executed trades:
• Getting Webber could be huge for Philly, if his knees hold up, but I don’t really get it for Sacramento. I understand they are trying to get back to the success they had when Webber started last season on the IR. I understand it was going to be hard to get equal value for Webber (PER of 21.35) but the three guys Sacramento got — Kenny Thomas (13.48 PER), Brian Skinner (6.13) and Corliss Williamson (14.94) — not only are average or below average replacements, they have contracts that run through at least 2007. Sacramento is stuck with these guys for a few years.
We’ll see what happens to Sacramento, but they are 5 games ahead of the Lakers, so they wouldn’t be easy to catch.
• Jiri Welsch is worth a first rounder?
Update #1: It's now five minutes past the noon deadline, and no word of a Laker deal, which is pretty much what we expected. It is possible news of a deadline deal will filter out this afternoon, but don't hold your breath. Late moves by other teams include the Maverick's adding Keith Van Horn and the Sixers dumping the Big Dog's salary.
Update #2: No Laker moves, none expected, but some interesting other stuff out there. Boston has reunited Walker and Pierce, and the Knicks have taken on some more big contracts (a trading day tradition in New York). Check out Knickerblogger and the Celtics Blog for reaction.
Update #3: Knickerblogger has posted an interesting break down of the Webber to Philly trade. He thinks the deal isn't that bad for Sac town. I still think the guys Sacramento got in return have contracts that are too long (for what you are getting).|||110926936575389331|||Tick, Tick, Tick……